


The Void

by Thatoneloser_kid



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Multi, Nogitsune Josie Saltzman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 00:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18377003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatoneloser_kid/pseuds/Thatoneloser_kid
Summary: The Nogitsune gets a hold over Josie, Penelope and Hope have to help her fight it





	The Void

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I haven't even started watch Legacies yet but I just had to write for these guys.
> 
> If you have any prompts for Phosie, Posie or Hosie send them to me on tumblr? Thatoneloser-kid.tumblr.com

They had all hurt each other at one point.

 

Josie spread those rumors about Hope and almost burnt down her room.

 

Hope had been nasty and vacant with Josie when they were kids (well, it was more to Lizzie but Josie got caught in the crossfire a lot).

 

Penelope broke Josie’s heart with no explanation at all.

 

Josie had made it her life mission to make Penelope as miserable as she was.

 

Penelope and Hope had just never gotten along, which was more a symptom of the people they hung out with.

 

They had been typical teenage girls to each other, so when they woke up together one morning, after the Mystic Falls Ball, the three of them with hangovers and all cuddled together in Penelope’s bed, it completely threw them through a loop.

 

Hope had woken up with an almost overwhelming heat surrounding her, but it was comfortable, and at first she settled down into the heat.

 

Then she realised it shouldn't be _this hot._

She cracked one eye open, and was met with a floof of messy brown hair, partially covering the face of someone who was unmistakable Josie, she would know those soft cheeks and plump lips anywhere.

 

But Hope didn't have time to worry _what the fuck_ Josie Saltzman was doing in her bed, because there was a soft snore from behind her.

“Oh god,” Hope murmured, swallowing thickly through her dry throat.

 

Hope slowly peered over her shoulder, and was met with some thing that she didn't expect to make her stomach flutter.

 

There was Penelope, no fasade, no walls, her face soft and hair mused, she was softly snoring.

 

Hope knew she was attracted to Josie, who wouldn't be? She is cute, and sweet with a little bit of fire.

 

What she wasn't aware of was her attraction to Penelope.

 

She knew she was _attracted_ to Penelope, everyone was, Penelope was that unobtainable girl that everyone lusted after. But Hope had never looked at her like this, she never looked at her as more than a hot girl.

 

“Oh, fuck,” Hope sighed, her head falling back against the pillow, as everything started to flood back from the night before.

 

They started at the party, and Lizzie was being, well, Lizzie, so Josie ended up upset.

 

Hope had watched Penelope go over and talk to her, since Penelope had left last year things had been different. Penelope had left, she and Josie’s mother finding a way to stop the merge.

 

Hope wondered if they were back together, but the way Penelope seemed unsure when placing a comforting hand on Josie’s back told her they weren't.

 

Hope hated the jealousy that bubbled in her chest when Josie visibly calmed down.

 

They drank some more, and somehow all three of them ended up sitting on the stairs leading up to the dorms. Somehow, Josie ended up admitting to her crush, again, and Hope felt her heart rate spike.

 

“I mean, she's right.” Penelope hummed, taking a drink of the bottle she had in her hand, Hope knew it wasn’t water. “Everyone has had a crush on Hope Mikaelson.”

 

Penelope sounded bitter, and that made Hope frown. “You?”

 

“Everyone.” Penelope reiterate, and there was something in the back of Hope’s mind that changed. There was something so unattainable about Josie, Hope figured it was probably Lizzie, and there was certainly something unattainable about Penelope, but in this moment, Hope honestly believed she could have one, if not both of these girls.

 

So she kissed Penelope, a little squeak escaping the drunk girls lips.

 

It was sloppy, and didn't last long, and when they separated, Hope quickly turned to Josie, and apology on the tip of her tongue, but it was swallowed by Josie’s lips.

 

It was Hope’s turn to squeak in surprise, but she quickly melted into the kiss, and she felt Penelope press herself against her back.

 

“Let’s go back to one of our rooms?” Penelope offered, and Hope agreed instantly, allowing Penelope to take her hand and drag her and Josie to her room.

 

There was a pause, almost awkward when they got their, but then Penelope move toward Hope, her hand held out toward Josie, pulling her in, too.

 

“Can I kiss you?” Penelope whispered, it was directed at Hope but she glanced to Josie, too.

 

Josie nodded softly, and Hope wondered what kind of agreement the two girls had just made.

 

“What was that?” Hope asked, glancing between the two girls.

 

“We _both_ want to kiss you.” Penelope admitted.

 

“If that’s okay?” Josie added unsurely.

 

Sober Hope would probably back out, left quickly and forget any of this was happening, but drunk Hope was appearly more ballsy. She hooked her hand around the back of Penelope’s neck, pulling her into a searing kiss, her body arching into the girls.

 

It was a creek of the bed that made them separated, their eyes turning to Josie, who was watching them with those big doe eyes. “Don't stop, I was just feeling a little dizzy.”

 

Hope turned to Penelope, who nodded, seemingly understanding what Hope wasn't saying.

 

They moved to settle either side of Josie.

 

Hope kissed Josie first, and Penelope started kissing her neck.

 

They didn't have sex, but they came damn close, all finally falling asleep huddled together on Penelope’s bed.

 

Hope couldn't deal with the conversation they would no doubt end up having if she stuck around, she she carefully climbed over Josie and out of bed.

 

“Sneaking out,” came Penelope’s gruff, sleep heavy voice. “Never expected that from you.”

 

“I have training,”

 

Penelope just hummed, shuffling closer to Josie, tentatively touching her hip, which even sleeping Josie took as a prompt to come in for a hug.

 

Everything in Hope was telling her to go back, just get back in bed and take it on the chin, but sober Hope wasn't nearly as brave as people seemed to think.

 

“I have to go,”

 

They didn't speak much after that, Josie avoided her eye completely, Penelope would glare at her, and Hope just couldn't force herself to talk to the girls.

 

But there was something different with Josie. She looked sick, her eyes hallow and her skin pale. And Hope had heard stories, about her causing riffs with everyone, spreading rumours and starting fights.

 

She was meddling, and seemed to be getting pleasure out of causing a little chaos.

 

Something she was different with Josie, and Penelope came to her about it about a week later.

 

“It’s you, you know? I've tried, but we both- you've change everything with us.”

 

“I'm sorry,” Hope couldn't bring herself to lift her eyes frown the homework she was doing. “I didn't mean to.”

 

“It doesn't matter if you meant to, you _did,_ and something is going to with her now. You've _seen_ her.” Penelope stressed. "She got M.G beat up the other day, and stood and watched. She  _smiled_ while two werewolves broke his ribs."

 

Hope didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything, which made Penelope huffed.

 

 “I thought you were braver than this.”

 

She wasn't, she didn't understand _why_ people thought she was brave.

 

She didn't realise just how right Penelope was until she saw Josie later that day.

 

She looked _sick_ her eyes sunken and hollow, and there was nothing behind them, almost like a void. She spotted Hope and smirked, a smirk that was very un-Josie, before making her way toward her.

 

“Hey, Hope.”

 

“Josie,” Hope greeted unsurely, feeling almost cornered by her. “Are you okay?”

 

“Never better,” then she kissed her, pressing Hope against the wall with a strength Hope had never seen from her. Hope felt herself melt, weaken, and it took her far too long of kissing Josie back to realise it wasn't just the kiss making her light headed.

 

She tore her lips away, noting the lingering red glow on Josie’s lips, bringing her fingertips up to touch her own lips.

 

“Thanks for that, tribrid.” There was a malicious tone in Josie’s voice, and she shot Hope a wink and left.

 

Penelope was right, something was off, Josie had _never_ called her a tribrid.

 

She went to find Penelope after that.

 

“You're right,” She announced. “There's something wrong with Josie.”

 

“Oh, so we are talking now?”

 

Hope rolled her eyes. “Grow up. We kissed, we will deal with it later but something is _wrong_ with Josie.”

 

That made Penelope frowned, pulling Hope down to sit in front of her, her eyes caring as she assessed Hope. “What happened?”

 

“She wasn't herself, then she kissed me and took my magic.” Hope explained. “Then she called me a tribrid and left.”

 

That made Penelope frown, Josie was more than capable to being nasty sometimes but that would never be something she would throw at Hope.

 

“Do you think it is another brain worm?” Hope asked.

 

“No, this is different, something is different. She took your magic, she didn't do that with the worm.”

 

“She’s powerful, Penelope, we have _seen_ that.” Hope stressed. “What if she does something? What if we can't get her back?”

 

“Hey,” Penelope shuffled toward Hope, her knees in between Hope’s. She placed her hands on Hope’s knees, pulling her attention back to her. “We haven't gone through all of this shit to keep her alive to lose her now.”

 

Hope swallowed thickly, nodding.

 

“Let's go find her,” Penelope got up, and made to leave, but Hope caught her wrist.

 

“Penelope, listen, what you said earlier-”

 

“We're talking about it, but later.” Penelope assured, giving Hope a little smile.

 

They found Josie in her bedroom reading. She looked up when the door opened, her face still hollow and almost graying, but the smile she gave them was entirely Josie.

 

“Hey, guys,”

 

“Are you okay, Jos?” Hope questioned unsurely.

 

“Fine, doing homework.”

 

“Jojo, you have been acting weird.”

 

“I'm tired,” Josie shrugged. “Exams, you know?”

 

Neither one of the girls were convinced, and there was an odd tilt to Josie’s smile when she realised they didn't believe her. She eyed the girls in front of her, as if assessing them for the first time.

 

“Do you want to come in? We can have a little more fun than we did the other night.” Jose’s voice seemed to drop an octave or two. “It’ll be fun, no one likes stopping at heavy petting.”

 

Josie advanced on the girls, settling in front of them her eyes jumping between the two girls, cocking her eyebrow at the slightly smaller girls.

 

“I didn't think a Mikaelson would be _scared_.” Josie practically taunted, looking from Hope to Penelope. “You I get, you are just an abused kid, from an unknown family, but a Mikaelson, the one and _only_ tribrid, I would never expect it from you.”

 

Penelope seemed to fold into herself, and of course the only person who knew how to tear Penelope down would be Josie.

 

“Stop it, Josie.”

 

Josie’s eyes snapped to Hope, looking almost black, a sick smirk pulling on her lips. “Oh, her, huh?”

 

Josie held out her hand, and Penelope went flying against the wall, held there by an unseen force around her throat. Josie grabbed Hope by her throat and pushed her against the door, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at Penelope.

 

“ _She_ is the one you like? She is also the one  _I_ like, as well as you. And I bet that one likes you too. This is complicated, maybe I should just eliminate one of you, may as well get rid of the disposable one.” Josie’s fingers twitched, and Penelope gasped.

 

“Stop, Josie.” Hope tried, but Josie was strong, and she was siphoning her magic.

 

“I will, if you can tell me this: the more you take, the more you leave behind, what am I?”

 

“What?”

 

“Come on, tribrid, she's running out of time?” Josie sing-songed, tightened her hold again.

 

“Uh,” Hope wracked her brain, panicking. “Footprints. Footprints.”

 

Josie smirked. “Clever girl.” she said, throwing Hope toward Penelope after releasing the girl, who crumbled to the floor, gasping for air.

 

Hope scrambled to Penelope's side, taking ahold of her cheeks. “Are you okay?”

 

Penelope nodded, her eyes not leaving Josie.

 

Hope looked back to Josie. “Jos, this isn't you.”

 

“You've both told me at least _once_ that some people just want to watch the world burn.” Josie drawled, staring at the little flame coming from her palm. “I think it's my turn to inject a little-” Josie closed her palm, extinguishing the fire. “Chaos into this school.”

 

“Jojo,” Penelope started.

 

Josie held up her finger. “And I can't let you two stop me.” she clicked her fingers, binding their hands and feet together with magic. “You will get out of that eventually, but by then it'll be too late. Who knows, this little body might just not be good enough by then, so this might be the last time you see this pretty little face alive.”

 

“Don’t you hurt her.” Hope warned.

 

“Oh, I am looking forward to fighting you, Mikaelson.” Josie winked at her before spinning on her heels and leaving.

 

“Hey, Penelope,” Hope prompted, and Penelope forced her eyes away from the door. “We will get her, okay?”

 

“I know,”

 

“What she said-”

 

“Lets not,” Penelope cut her off, struggled and straining against the restraints.

 

“No, listen,” Hope insisted, shuffling closer. “What she said isn't true, you are not disposable, _you_ saved Josie. You are incredible.”

 

“Not like you two though,” Penelope sighed, shaking her head. “But that doesn't matter, we need to help her before it hurts her.”

 

Hope nodded, leaning closer and kissing Penelope sweetly on the lips. “We won't let it hurt her.”

 

Hope turned her back to Penelope’s, gripping onto her hand.

 

“She took a lot of my magic, I'm not as strong as I usually am.”

 

“Just try,”

 

It did take a while, but they got out, scrambling to their feet and toward Aladric’s office. “Mr Saltzman,”

 

“Not now, girls,”

 

“It’s Josie.” that got his attention immediately. “Something has her, it's going to kill her if we don't help in time.”

 

That got his attention, a frown appearing on his face as he slowly stood. “What has her?”

 

“Well, it doesn't technically _have her_ but it does. It's inside of her.” Hope tried to explain. “But not in like-”

 

“Nogitsune,” Penelope interrupted, catching the attention of the room.  “I think it is a Nogitsune.”

 

“How do you know?” Hope asked.

 

“I read,” Penelope shrugged, “Creatures fascinate me, this was one of the ones I enjoyed learning about. But it's bad, there are ways to get her back. Three ways, but one will end with Josie dead and the other a wolf so that's off the table.”

 

“Let's go find her, she can't be far.” Alaric said, moving past the girls and out the room.

 

Hope grinned at Penelope, grabbing her cheeks and pulling her in for a kiss. “That beautiful mind,” She said, before rushing off to catch up with Alaric.

 

It turns out, it wasn't hard to find Josie, who was in the auditorium, Lizzie and M.G strung from the rafters.

 

“What is our plan here?” Hope whispered to Penelope.

 

“We get Josie to fight, you bite her, or we get that foxfire blade from Mr Saltzman’s vault. But that would kill Josie, too.”

 

“I'm not biting her,” Hope said.

 

“So she fights.”

 

“Ah, daddy,” Josie’s grin was almost jovial.  “And my girls, you are just in time.”

 

“Josette Saltzman.” Alaric snapped, in what can only be described as a ‘father voice’. “Stop this-”

 

“Oh,” Josie frowned, holding her hand up, closing her fingers on her thumb in a ‘shut up’ motion, and Alaric’s mouth clamped closed. “She’s not here right now.”

 

“Jojo, we know you're in there, and you if _fight this_ you can expel this thing and we can kill it.”

 

“This kid? You think _this kid_ is strong enough to get rid of me?” Josie laughed. “I'm thousand of years old, she is just a kid who doesn't even have her own _magic_ , she is a dying breed for a reason. And there is a reason I have survived this long.”

 

“You don't know what she's capable of,” Hope argued. “And you've given her all the magic she needs.”

 

“Enough,” Josie growled, and with a flick of her finger Landon, Rafael and Kaleb joined Lizzie and M.G on the rafters. “Let's play a game.”

 

Josie clapped her hands together giddily, pointing to the teenagers hanging by their feet from the ceiling.

 

“Jo,” Hope tried, but stopped when Joise pointed at her.

 

“Great, our first volunteer.” Josie crooked her finger and Hope felt herself being pulled forward, and was suddenly in front of Josie, who had a wicked look in her eye. “You are right about this one, kid, she is pretty.” Josie grinned, trailing her finger down Hope’s cheek.

 

“Let her go, take me instead.” Hope begged, her stomach churning when Josie laughed.

 

“I plan on it, once I've had a good ride of this body, I like to get my magics worth.” Josie spun around, looking up at her sister. “Okay, I've got a riddle, first to answer survives.” Josie smirked back at Hope. “Don't worry, I can still use your body even if I kill you.”

 

“Josie,” Lizzie’s voice shook. “You're stronger than this, you're the strongest of the two of us.”

 

“But that’s not strong at all, little girl.” Josie said, “And we will start with you, the twin against the first love, fitting, no?”

 

Hope could hear Penelope whispering behind her that she needed the blade, and Alarc telling her to go to the vault and get it.

 

“Okay, riddle me this, ladies.” Josie looked up at her sister. “What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs?”

 

Hope lifted her eyes to Lizzie, who was watching her, shaking her head as if to tell her not to answer.

 

“It is the most fun when they refuse to play along.” Josie sighed in delight, snapping her fingers and Lizzie dropped, a scream ripping from her throat, but she stopped before she hit the ground, and Josie wheeled around quickly so that they were eye to eye. There was a dangerous look in her eye. “Come on, you've spent your life keeping her down, taking away everything she loves, give me the answer so that I can take away something else she loves.”

 

“Remember the first time we realised we had magic,” Lizzie said softly, but her voice trembled. “You accidently set fire to your stuffed animal, we tried to save his arm but couldn't. I still have him, he's upstairs in my chest, whenever we fight I bring him out and it reminds me of a time before all this. Before everything got so messed up.”

 

There was _something._ It was miniscule, almost undetectable, just a flash in Josie’s eyes but it was _something._

 

“You were always the best, Josie.” Lizzie said, “I tore you down because I knew that, because I know I lack in every aspect compared to you.”

 

“When you get magic, God, Jo, you are the strongest witch I have ever come across.” Hope added. “And I'm saying that as a Mikaelson. You excel in your classes, you saved me from the Malivore, you managed to date the girl in school _everyone_ wanted to date. You are strong, but you keep getting tore down, by Lizzie, by me, by Penelope, and you didn't deserve any of that because you, Josie Saltzman, deserve the world, but the world doesn't deserve you.”

 

Josie screwed her eyes closed, looking almost in pain, and when she opened them, Hope knew immediately it was her.

 

“Hope,” she sounded panicked, scared, and it fractured Hope’s heart that she didn't know how to help.

 

“You have to fight this, Jo.”

 

Josie closed her eyes again, her demeanour changing completely, her shoulders rolling and her eyes snapped open, her hand enclosing around Hope’s throat. “Oh, you're right.” Josie rolled out her neck, smirking at Hope. “This one is strong, I might keep it.”

 

“There is no way she will let that happen, if we can't kill you she sure as hell will.”

 

“Why aren't we using magic on her?” Kaleb growled.

 

“We aren't risking hurting her,” Lizzie snapped back.

 

“That’s the easy thing about you mortals, you are so… sentimental about _everything_ , it is kind of boring.”

 

“A Nogitsune, right?” Hope eyed Josie. “That’s what you are?”

 

“Clever girl,”

 

“Wasn't me, it was the ‘disposable’ one.”

 

Josie sighed. “Okay, this is getting boring,”

 

It was then Penelope appeared with the sword, and the creature seemed to _feel_ the energy because its eyes snapped to her.

 

“Let’s have a little fun,” Josie growled through gritted teeth, throwing Hope at the stairs and snapping her fingers.

 

Hope wasn't sure what had happened until she stood, ready to fight, and her father was stood in front of her.

 

“Dad?” Hope breathed.

 

“My littlest wolf,” Klaus smiled, moving toward Hope. "You have to stop this."

 

Hope felt something fracture in her chest at the sight of his caring eyes. “Daddy,” A sob escaped Hope’s throat, and she was about to reach out for her father but the sight in front of her rippled, and Penelope appeared, taking her face into her hands.

 

“Hope,”

 

Hope tried to push her off, her eyes not leaving her father who was now behind Penelope. “No, it's him, it's-”

 

“An illusions, it can cause hallucinations.” Penelope forced Hope to look her. “I'm sorry, sweetie, but that's not your father.”

 

Hope forced closed her eyes, a few tears falling, and when she opened them, she was back in the room, and Josie was watching her with such a wicked look that Hope almost snapped, her eyes glowing yellow.

 

“Come on then, Wolfie.” Josie taunted, speaking through gritted teeth. “Bite me, turn your girlfriend into a wolf, a mutt like you.”

 

“It feeds on this, on negativity.” Penelope said before turning to Josie, the sword pointed toward her. “I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else.”

 

Josie pouted in mock-concern. “What are you going to do, kill her?” Josie crooked her finger, dragging Penelope toward her, grabbing her hand and putting the blade against Jose’s throat. Josie tilted her head, almost mockingly. “Do it. I kill her first love, you kill yours, everyone ends up hurt.”

 

Penelope's hand shook, the blade touching Josie’s throat, and Hope watched, knowing Penelope wouldn't, _couldn't,_ do it.

 

“You remember our first date?” Penelope breathed, her voice cracking and Hope knew she was crying. “You thought it was a trick when I asked you out, you were so on edge for the first half, i can't blame you, it was a picnic in an abandoned cabin. But then you relaxed, and we had so much fun, I spilled food all down me and you asked me how the coolest girl in school could be such a dork, then you slammed your hand over your mouth and apologised.”

 

Hope watched the fading malice in Josie’s eyes, being quickly replaced by tears.

 

“That was the day that I knew I loved you.” Penelope laughed, then sniffed. “No, I knew I loved you the day you blew me off my feet I'm defense class, no one had ever got the better of me then you came in and did it with such ease.” Penelope lifted the hand that wasn't holding the sword, touching Josie’s cheek, and Josie leaned into the touch.  “Come back to us, Jojo.”

 

Hope got to her feet, moving beside Penelope. “We can't do this without you.”

 

“And you are strong, Josie, stronger than some old fucking fox thing.”

 

“Come back and we will talk about the other night, we will figure this out.” Hope assured. “I'm done running, and I'm sorry I did, I know I'm not good enough for you two, but I will spent however long you two will have me trying to be.”

 

“It is too strong, I-” Josie’s eyes screwed closed again, and her legs buckled slightly, when she opened her eyes it was that same darkness, but it faded quickly and Josie was back.

 

“It is strong, but you're stronger.”

 

“ _Fight,_ Jojo.”

 

“You can do this, Josie,” Lizzie encouraged, followed by M.G.

 

And Hope could see Josie struggle, fighting this creature in her head, then Josie gasped, and there was this blinding light, and suddenly Josie stumbled back and fell onto her ass.

 

Hope could feel the creature breathing down her neck, but before she could react, Penelope did, stabbing the sword through the space between Hope’s arm and torso, their bodies pressed together, impaling the creature.

 

It let out this blood curdling screech before dissolving into nothing.

 

“Oh, fuck,” Penelope gasped, breathless, looking down at Hope, who was staring at her with wide eyes.

 

“Oh, fuck,” Hope agreed, looking down at the sword. “You could've killed me.”

 

“As if,” Penelope scoffed, and both girls turned to Josie, who was staring wide-eyed at the spot the creature had been.

 

“Hey,” Hope whispered as she and Penelope moved either side of Josie.

 

“Jojo,”

 

Josie blinked, glancing at the two girls either side of her, first who she was going to apologise to girls.

 

“Pen, what I said-”

 

“It wasn't you sweetie,”

 

Josie swallowed, turning to Hope. “Hope,”

 

“It’s okay, baby, we know what happened.” Hope smiled at her, “Why doesn't Penelope take you to my room? I'll get everyone down and be there soon.”

 

Penelope helped Josie to her feet, only stopping to allow her to hug her father.

 

Hope got the rest of the students down, and Lizzie was in her face as soon as her feet hit the ground. “What the hell was that?”

 

“Nogitsune, she wasn't in control.”

 

“Not _that._ You two and my sister?” Lizzie frowned. “As if it wasn't bad enough she was in love with satan herself, but now-”

 

Hope snapped her fingers closed, effectively shutting Lizzie up. “I have a lot of anger in me right now, Lizzie, and I don't want to take it out on you but you are really fucking pushing it.” Hope practically snarled.  “And don't talk about Penelope like that, she just saved your sister when you didn't even realise anything was wrong. So back off, dude, because Penelope won't be nearly as nice as I'm being.”

 

Hope dropped the spell and headed up the stairs, where Alaric stood.

 

“Sir,” Hope started, stiffening when he pulled her in for a hug.

 

“Thank you,”

 

Hope nodded, taking a step back when he released her. “We - both of us love her, sir.”

 

“I could tell _that_ much. Maybe we can talk next training session? I can give you the typical dad talk.”

 

Hope laughed, nodding. “Sure,”

 

“Look after her,” He said, nodding toward the dorms. “Have her come see me when she is feeling better.”

 

When Hope entered her room both Penelope and Josie were sitting in her bed, both of their eyes snapping to her.

 

Hope stopped walking, slowly closing the door.

 

They just stared at each other for a moment before the girls in the bed slowly stood, both in perfect synchronicity, which would have thrown Hope had it been under any other circumstance.

 

“Everyone is okay, no one was-” Hope didn't get the chance to finish, because Josie was in front of her in a second, cutting her off.

 

“Hope,” she whispered, her hands finding their way to Hope’s cheeks. “I'm sorry, that I kissed you while I wasn't me.”

 

“It wasn't you, I know that, we both do.”

 

“I tried, I really did, but it was strong,” Josie admitted, stepping back to look at both girls. “I don't even know how it got me.”

 

“I think I do,” Penelope said, moving closer. “After getting Hope out of Malivor, I think it left something open in Josie’s mind. She had to go into that place to get you out, and we didn't close that properly, that's how it gets in, how it gets people.”

 

“So, this is my fault?”

 

“No,” Penelope shook her head, moving close enough to hold Hope’s hand. “It was an unfortunate symptom of getting you out, but it isn't your fault, or Josie’s. It is no one's fault, we could never have known.”

 

“It wanted to hurt everyone,” Josie whispered. "For  _days_ I just wanted to cause chaos."

 

“But you stopped it,” Penelope smiled at Josie, moving a little closer, Hope doing the same.

 

“We have a lot to apologise for, Jos. Everyone does, because we've all hurt you at one point, and that made you feel like you weren't strong.”

 

“But, God, Jojo, you just fought of an ancient spirit.” Penelope was practically gushing, and Hope understood why.

 

“You are so strong,” Hope whispered, reaching out to run her fingertips down Josie’s arm, while Penelope tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Stronger than any of us.” Penelope agreed. “And we're sorry we ever made her feel otherwise.”

 

“You didn't, I-”

 

“Don't lie to us, Jojo.” Penelope interrupted. “I broke your heart.”

 

“And I was horrible to you.”

 

“And Lizzie tears you down.”

 

“And your father isn't around as much as he should be.”

 

“Neither is your mother.”

 

“Everyone overlooks you as ‘Lizzie’s twin’.”

 

Josie’s eyes were welling up, and she swallowed.

 

“You don't deserve any of it, Josie.” Hope sighed. “And I can't speak for anyone else but I know I'm going to try my hardest to make it up to you.”

 

“Me too,”

 

Josie sniffed, wrapping an arm around each of the girls necks and pulling them in for a hug. “I still feel weird.”

 

“You will for a while,” Penelope whispered, wrapping on arm around Josie’s back, the other hand settling a little low on Hope’s hip. “You will feel a little weak.”

 

“Are you touching my ass?” Hope asked, and Josie huffed out a laugh.

 

“This is a tender moment, Hope, don't ruin it.” Penelope sighed, and Josie let out a little squeak.

 

“She's touching mine, too.”

 

Hope laughed, gently pushing Penelope.

 

“What?”

 

“We haven't even talked about this yet and you are already pawing at us.”

 

“I think if anyone would be pawing…” Penelope laughed when both Hope and Josie launched a pillow at her. “Okay, then let's talk. You both know where I stand, I've been up front with both of you, it was you two who were acting like children.”

 

“I shouldn't have run that morning, but it was too much. Whatever a Mikaelson touches it goes to shit, I couldn't let that happen with you two.” Hope admitted, shaking her head when both girls opened their mouth to argue. “I know what you're going to say, that it's dumb but you don't know, you don't know the kind of pain and destruction that comes with this name.”

 

“Oh, no, we do.” Penelope laughed.

 

“We've _seen_ it,” Josie added. “Were just two girls, standing in front of a girl, asking-”

 

“No. Nope, do _not_ quote Notting Hill.” Hope cut in, and Josie laughed.

 

“Fine, but we are here, after seeing everything, still wanting _a Mikaelson_ to admit that she likes us back.”

 

“I do, that's not what this was about.”

 

“You like us,” Josie said.

 

“And we like you,” Penelope said. “So, why not give it a chance, what's the worst that could happen?”

 

Hope and Josie shot Penelope a look, making her grin.

 

“I like tempting fate.” Penelope shrugged.

 

“Fate doesn't need tempting, it comes barrelling at us like a freight train.” Hope huffed.

 

“And we keep coming out on top,” Penelope took ahold of Hope’s hand, pulling her in close. “Tell us you want us.”

 

Hope swallowed, her eyes flickering down to Penelope’s lips. “I think it's obvious I do,”

 

“So kiss me,” Penelope requested, barely above a whispered.

 

“Kiss her,” Josie agreed, and Hope wanted to look over at her, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Penelope.

 

So Hope did, her fingers linking behind the slightly taller girls neck as she pushed herself up onto her toes.

 

She felt Penelope smile against her lips, her hands sliding slowly around her hips and settling on her lower back, holding her close. Hope hummed against her lips when Penelope's thumb slipped under her shirt, ghosting across the skin of her lower back, right over one of the little dimples by her spine.

 

They pulled back, their foreheads resting together as they turned their heads toward Josie, who was now sitting on the bed, watching them with a soft smile.

 

“You have a thing for watching, Jojo?”

 

Hope moved to her, bending at the waist to plant her hands on the bed either side of her body. Josie’s hands found her cheeks just as their lips touched.

 

Hope hummed as they pulled back, feeling the difference between this Josie and void Josie. “That's better,”

 

Josie smiled glancing over at Penelope and rolling her eyes. “Stop staring at her ass, Pen.”

 

Hope peered over her shoulder, and sure enough Penelope for as shamelessly staring at her ass, her hip cocked to the side, an eyebrow raised.

 

“You can't blame me, Jojo, it's a good angle.”

 

Hope grabbed a pillow and launched it at Penelope, who huffed out a breath when it barrelled into her stomach, winding her.

 

“You are a pervert.”

 

“I'm allowed to be, I have two hot girls kissing in front of me.” Penelope laughed.

 

“And you could be here, too, instead of watching like some sort of peeping Tom.” Josie shot back, and Penelope practically skipped over to the bed, sitting bed, pulling Hope onto her lap.

 

“If you insist,” She hummed, her hand on Hope’s lap as she moved closer to Josie, playfully tapping her nose against Josie’s, smirking when Josie moved forward to kiss her. Josie huffed when Penelope pulled away at the same speed she was moving closer.

 

“Don't be a dic-” Josie didn't get the chance to finish, because Penelope swooped in and kissed her.

 

“Such a dirty mouth sometimes.” Penelope whispered.

 

Josie was smiling, but there was a shift in her eyes, and Hope knew what she was thinking.

 

“We need to talk about everything I said, to you, to Hope, because I know I hurt you.”

 

“It did, but that wasn't _you.”_

“I brought up your family, Penelope, and showed you your father.” she addressed Hope. “I brought up so much stuff that I _knew_ would hurt both of you, it had that information because of _me.”_

“But _you_ didn't use it against us, and you have that information because we trust you enough to talk to you about it.” Penelope said. “At least I did, everyone knows about Hope’s thing.”

 

Josie swallowed, lifting her eyes to Hope. “I saw the look on your face, Hope, the happiness, the pain, and I'm _so sorry.”_ Josie moved her eyes to Penelope, and the girls just let her talk, knowing that she needed to get all of this out. “And I brought up your family, I went after the one thing I know you are _super_ insecure about. I hurt both of you with the things I knew would hurt you the most, and I need you to know how sorry I am.”

 

“We need you to know that while those were things you knew about us,” Hope added.

 

“And while they came out of your mouth,” Penelope added.

 

“It wasn't you.”

 

“But could have been me,”

 

"No, it couldn't have." Hope said. 

 

“Because, Josie Saltzman, while you can be nasty and horrible in a teenage girl sense of the word.” Penelope smiled softly at her.

 

“You don't have a malicious bone in your body, this was entirely that thing, that spirit. Everything you said, you _done_ was the spirit. Because you would never hurt anyone, physically or mentally.”

 

“And that spirit, Jojo, it has caused havoc throughout the years. There are historical events that mortals put down as unexplained that the supernatural world know was down to the Nogitsune.” Penelope explained.  “It has killed countless people, and the people whose body it has used have either ended up dead or imprisoned. You didn't kill anyone, you fought that spirit off, you done what only one known person has ever done, and the only reason they could do it was because the spirit was weakened. But today, it was at full strength, he was feeding on everyone else's negativity, everyone's pain, and you got him out. _You_ were strong enough to do what no one else ever could.”

 

“You pushed out a spirit that has spent millennia causing pain and destruction wherever it went.” Hope said in a soft tone, her fingertips tickling Josie’s jaw, causing her eyes to flutter closed. “We're so proud of you.”

 

Josie sniffed and nodded, turning to press her lips against Hope’s palm when she cupped her jaw.

 

“Do you forgive us, for everything we put you through?” Hope asked, barely above a whisper.

 

“Of course,” Josie’s voice cracked and broke off as she speak, peering at Hope through her eyelashes. “Can you forgive me?”

 

“Already forgiven,” Penelope assured.

 

Josie sniffed again, and nodded. “I should go see Lizzie, apologise.”

 

“You don't have anything to apologise for,” Penelope argued.

 

“But if you feel like it is something you need to do you should.”

 

Josie nodded and stood.

 

“Come back when you're finished, we can all spend the night here.” Hope smiled, watching Josie leave, her head falling into her hands when the door finally clicked closed.

 

“Hey,” Penelope whispered, wrapping her arms around the girl on her lap.

 

“We almost lost her today, Pen. _Again.”_

 

“But we didn't, focus on that,” Penelope insisted, easily lifting Hope and putting her on her back on the bed, moving to hover over her. “And we're doing this, the three of us, the three hottest girls on school.”

 

Hope huffed out a laugh, pushing Penelope’s hair behind her ear.

 

“There's that pretty smile.” Penelope smoothed down Hope’s hair as they just stared at each other. “I want to talk to you about my parents, not tonight, I'm exhausted, but soon.”

 

Hope nodded, her finger tip trailing down Penelope’s back. “I'd like that.”

 

“And I'm going to plan a date, for the three of us, so keep that schedule open.” Penelope warned with a playful little nose bop.

 

“I will have to see if I can fit you in between brooding and homework.”

 

“My two favourite things,” Penelope sighed, moving to lie beside Hope, their legs tangled together.

 

Hope turned her head to look at her, and Penelope stared right back.

 

“I'm sorry, you know? About your father, and having to see him again really sucked.”

 

“Yeah,” Hope sighed. “It is what it is, I suppose.”

 

“Mm,” Penelope hummed.

 

There was a few minutes of silence a few minute of them just staring at each other.

 

“I wonder what it's going to be like when the three of us have sex.”

 

“Jesus,” Hope laughed, batting her arm. “You are worse than a teenage boy.”

 

“My girlfriends are the two hottest girls anyone in this school has ever met, can you blame me.”

 

Hope grinned smugly. “Girlfriends, huh?”

 

“You have been called worse.”

 

Josie came back with red rimmed eyes over an hour later, both Penelope and Hope were close to falling asleep.

 

“All good?” Hope asked as they made space in the middle of Josie.

 

“We will talk about it tomorrow.” Josie said, shuffled back against Penelope, and pulling Hope toward her, both girls enveloping bed in what was almost a protective cocoon.

 

“Okay,” Penelope agreed.

 

“Penelope called us her girlfriends earlier.”

 

Hope felt Josie smile against her chest. “I like the sound of that.”

 

“Duh,” Penelope hummed sleepily.

 

They fell asleep not long after that, all exhausted from the events of the day.

 

 

 


End file.
